The most popular and widely grown species, B. obtusa, is also known as the bush violet because in full flower it is smothered with violet-blue flowers. There is, however, also a true baby-pink and a white form which is welcomed by the gardeners who follow more traditional colour schemes.

Barleria is invaluable in the border as, with its loose, informal growth habit, it fills the awkward niche between the low-growing edging plants and the taller background plantings. Its dull, slightly hairy dark green leaves with a hint of grey are restful to the eye. It can be left to its own devices and be allowed to sprawl and clamber or be trimmed into a neat hedge or border plant. It thrives in rockeries and will tolerate considerable wind so is a good coastal garden plant. It also will grow in full sun but performs well in semi-shade. It can also be grown very successfully in pots.

Stablemates

Several other barlerias are also worthy, easy-to-grow subjects. B. repens, which as its name suggests is low growing, reaches about 50 cm as it creeps over the soil or hangs down a bank. It is useful as a groundcover and comes in several colours, best known being the variety `Rosa’, with deep, cherry-red flowers. Then there is the species with royal purple flowers, ‘Purple Prince’ and the new cultivar ‘Tickled Pink’ with large magenta flowers which are offset by shiny dark leaves. Somewhat taller, reaching over a metre, are barlerias such as the white barleria, B. albostellata, the grey

Leaves of which are useful contrast, especially in dry regions. The rather bristly, yellow-flowered Lowveld barleria, B. rotundiflora, is suitable for tropical areas.

Undemanding

Barleria ask little of the gardener apart from occasional watering during dry spells and a good trim after flowering to keep the plant compact and tidy. They are readily available as well-grown plants but often seed themselves in gardens, and can also be propagated from slips, taken in spring.You may also find, when tidying up the garden in autumn, sections which have developed roots where they have come into contact with the ground. These can be carefully dug out after being separated from the parent plant and planted elsewhere.

Barleria are fast growing and will thrive when planted in well-prepared holes, twice the size of the container in which the young plants are growing. A spring feed of a balanced fertiliser or organic pellets and follow-up feed in midsummer will ensure a good cover of flowers, but do not overdo the feeding or the plant will produce leaves at the expense of the flowers.

Lampranthus are part of the Mesembryanthemaceae family, better known by the name mesems or the Afrikaans diminutive `vygies‘, meaning tiny figs, a reference to their figlike fruits.

There is an amazing diversity among the members of this family. The smallest are the lithops or stone plants of the dry, stony Nama Karoo. Their leaves have been reduced to a single fleshy pair. Another example is the window plant (Fenestraria) from the Richtersveld. Many mesems are best grown in containers and are much in demand by collectors.

Gardeners are attracted to the more common vygies, some of which also occur in the summer- rainfall areas. With careful selection it is possible to have an almost continuous display of flowers from spring through to late autumn.

These garden subjects are generally associated with dry sandy soils, but they are so diverse and come from such a variety of habitats that they are really most accommodating. However, a single common factor is their need for well- drained soil, and most need a sunny position.

Spoilt for choice

In the past gardeners were limited in their choice of mesems and vygies. The most common and easily obtained species were the brilliant cerise, orange, magenta and yellow Lampranthus. Then there were the bold, large-leaved sour figs or gonna — invaluable for holding the soil back on banks. Also available were the dainty annuals — Bokbaaivygies from the West Coast. These have been hybridised, accommodating shrubby and mat-forming mesems which are generally chosen for their brilliantly colouredflowers. Most gardenersthink of vygies as coming from Namaqualand and associate their flowering time with the mass displays of flowers in spring. However, vygies will grow throughout the country, except for those areas with severe frost or high humidity.

Continued survival

It is the differences in the fruit capsules which help distinguish one genus of mesem from another. These are adapted to ensure the plants‘ continued survival. Many members of the mesem family come from arid areas of the country where rainfall is erratic. The seed capsules are hygrostatic, that is they open and close in response to moisture. So when it rains, within seconds in some cases, the seed capsules open, releasing their contents onto the wet soil. Some may release only a few seeds, holding back the rest for the next rainy day.

Vygies should be planted in full sun in fairly fertile, but well-drained soil. Once established the plants need little water, except in long dry spells. They tend to get untidy and should be pruned or replaced. New plants are easily started from cuttings.

Creeping veronicas are dainty little plants that are suitable to grow near the bases of shrubs or small trees or as edging in beds and containers. They bloom in spring and occasionally produce more flowers during the summer. After blooming, the plants persist as compact green groundcovers.

The showiest veronicas

There are many well-known veronica cultivars with superb qualities. ‘Sunny Border Blue‘ and ‘Blue Sensation’ are both outstanding upright veronicas that provide a constant parade of blue flower spikes from early to late summer. Try `Heidekind’ for pink flowers and ‘Icicle’ for white ones. Among creeping types, `Waterberry’ grows only 12 cm tall, and each plant spreads to 30 cm. It blooms heavily in spring, covering itself with purple-blue blossoms, followed by a few flowers later in summer. The foliage turns bronze in the autumn. `Trehane’ has golden foliage that contrasts beautifully with its purple-blue flowers.

Growing veronica

Veronicas need moist, fertile soil and at least 4 hours of sun per day. Amend planting holes with compost and after planting add a 7 cm layer of mulch to help keep the soil moist. If planted in reasonably fertile soil there is no need to fertilise; too much fertiliser can cause stems to flop. The key to keeping upright veronicas in bloom is regular deadheading. Remove spikes as they fade, and new flowers will keep coming.

In late summer when days are hot and nights are cool and damp, powdery mildew can appear on leaves. Pick off and dispose of infected leaves and avoid splashing water on the plants when irrigating. If the disease continues to spread, spray with a fungicide or a bicarbonate of soda mix, or cut plants to within a few centimetres of the soil to encourage healthy new growth.

Pests are rare, but if aphids appear, knock them off with a strong stream of water from a hose. Hand-pick and dispose of any caterpillars you find or treat plants with Dipel, as directed on the label of the container.

Increasing the bounty

Divide upright veronicas by cutting off rooted shoots from the outer edges of the clump in spring or autumn.

Propagate spreading veronicas by slicing some rooted stems from the edge of an existing planting with a spade. Replant, setting the plantlets in prepared holes at the same depth at which the parent plants grew Increase watering and open up to more sunlight to improve air circulation and growing condtions.

The wisest approach is planning in advance to make sure that neither you nor your garden stumbles into the scorching season unprepared. Most climates with hot summers also have long spring and autumn seasons, which offer the ideal conditions for working outdoors. Instead of waiting until the summer is upon you, get as much digging and planting done as you can fit into the shorter, cooler days of spring and autumn. And when the hot days do arrive, enjoy gardening in the cool hours of the morning or evening.

You won’t be the only one to benefit from shifting your schedule to suit the seasons. Your plants will also appreciate your advance planning. Plants set out in autumn or early spring are spared the stress of starting out in a hot summer with skimpy roots that cannot take up moisture as fast as it evaporates through their leaves. When perennials and shrubs show new green growth in spring, rapid root growth is also taking place below ground. Therefore, every spring day that a plant can spend in the garden contributes to the growth of a deep, extensive root system that it will rely on to pull moisture from the soil in the hot summer days ahead.

Sizzling colours for hot gardens

Flowers that are white or pastel coloured are much harder to see in the glare of strong summer sunlight than those in rollicking shades of red, bright yellow, orange, bright pink or purple. Flowers that are easy to spot in intense sunlight include those of yellow cosmos, petunias and hot-coloured zinnias. Don’t be afraid of putting plants like these into a sunny garden, but do limit your colour scheme to a few coordinating colours, because the brighter the colours are, the more noticeable they will be if they clash. When working with orange, combine it with its complementary colour, which is deep purple. Use flowering and foliage plants in yellow shades, such as helichrysum, golden flax and sunny nasturtiums to help blend together bright flowers. Tone down the intense magenta of flowers such as lychnis and some pelargoniums and daylilies, by combining them with plants that have neutral, silvery-grey leaves, such as Dusty Miller and artemisia. Care-free evergreens, such as hebe and murraya, also have a calming influence on bright bloomers, and they not only make great companions and provide a neutral background for setting off flower colours, but they also maintain their fresh greenery through winter, when they become the main attraction of the border.

If your winters are mild, you have the opportunity to grow cool-season annuals from autumn to spring. Sweet William, Dusty Miller, pansies and snapdragons are widely sold as autumn bedding plants in warm climates, and planting them can keep your garden colourful nearly year-round. In cold- winter areas, good specimens to plant are Iceland poppies and ornamental kale, which can survive mild freezes.You’ll find the cold-hardy annuals mentioned above in early spring as well as autumn. Adding a few of them to planters and window boxes can add one or two months of colour to the growing season.

Wonderful water misers

A number of care-free plants, including aloes, cistus, tulbaghia and yucca, which grow well in hot-summer areas, have the added talent of being drought tolerant. Because hot summer sun saps moisture from plants, look for these and others, such as ornamental grasses, portulaca and sedum, which are rarely thirsty at the end of a summer day. These natural water misers all share a few traits. When shopping for them, look for plants

With succulent leaves, which store water; plants with small, stiff leaves which have less surface area exposed to evaporation; and plants with silver or grey leaves, which reflect excess light. Plants with abundant thorns or fuzzy leaves will provide shade for themselves, reducing the amount of moisture that evaporates from their leaves.

Before buying, read the descriptions of plants on nursery labels and in mail-order catalogues carefully to learn their origins. Those from areas with soil and climate that are similar to yours should be more likely to adapt. Deep-rooted plants such as purple coneflower are incredibly drought tolerant. Salvias and yuccas, indigenous to southwest USA, are equally

Able to thrive in hot, dry situations, as are artemisias and pelargoniums, as well as lavender, rosemary and other herbs from Mediterranean countries. Summer-flowering bulbs from South America and Australia, as well as our own indigenous agapanthus, gladioli and watsonias, are superbly suited to hot-summer gardens.

Watering your garden will be necessary, even if you grow plants that can take the heat. So make use of strategies to limit the time and water your garden requires. Using mulch alone can conserve a great deal of soil moisture by slowing evaporation and keeping the soil cool. Concentrate your shallow- rooted summer annuals and perennials where they are easy to reach with a hose, or plant them near the house. Use soaker hoses or micro-irrigation systems, which get water into the soil with minimal loss to evaporation. If using a sprinkler, invest in one whose spray pattern fits the area to be watered, avoiding wastage on paths and paving. In windy sites, select a sprinkler that provides heavy droplets so that the wind doesn’t whip the water away.

If you are developing a new landscape, winter may not be slow at all. In many mild-winter climates, autumn is the preferred planting season for perennials and evergreens, both large and small. When planted in the autumn, these plants will benefit from the cool temperatures and winter rains. By the time the hot weather returns the following summer, they are comfortably settled in with strong, deep roots established in the soil. In addition, autumn is the best time for dividing some perennials, such as daylihes, which can become crowded if they have spent several years in the same spot. When divided at the appropriate time, they will be well rooted and ready to bloom when spring arrives.

The tyranny of the lawn

The main feature of many gardens is a lush, green lawn. In warm climates, warm-season grasses, such as buffalo, kweek, Berea and kikuyu, are the favoured varieties. During spring, summer and autumn, these lawns are green expanses that demand regular mowing, watering and lots of fertiliser. As the weather cools, warm-season grasses will wind down and may become dormant. In areas that experience winter frosts, warm-season lawns are liable to turn brown and lifeless with the first frost.

While some varieties hold their green colour through winter, other warm-season grasses languish between dull green and straw colour in cold areas. Some buffalo lawns may develop a crimson tinge, which can be removed by mowing in late autumn or early winter. If the thought of a brown lawn over winter is unappealing, it can be disguised under a blanket of green by oversowing it in autumn with cool-season grass mixtures, Kirchoff’s Evergreen or Mayford’s All Season’s Evergreen.

In climates with cold to mild winters and mild summers, cool-season grasses are the preferred choice for lawns, provided adequate water is available. These lawns demand lots of summer watering, but become lush and green in winter, and provide a pleasant green contrast to the bare branches of deciduous trees and shrubs.

Willing winter bloomers

If you have acid soil and partial or filtered shade to accommodate them, camellias can be counted upon to brighten winter in mild climates. Sasanqua camellias lead the show with their first flowers opening in late summer and progressing through autumn into early winter. In late autumn and winter, the japonica camellias feature, with varieties opening progressively until spring. Camellias are a good choice for an evergreen hedge, or can be the central feature of your winter garden. For extra interest, edge with other winter-flowering plants such as pansies and primulas, or early-flowering jonquils and narcissus.

In mild winter climates, gardens can be a mass of flowers with careful planning. In sunny spots, deciduous magnolias are stunning as they come into bloom in late winter while their branches are still bare. The display lasts into early spring as the leaves appear. Surround them with Marguerite daisies, Namaqualand daisies, vygies and narcissus for a breath of spring in winter.

Colourful winter annuals

In any mild-winter climate, there is a host of cold-hardy annuals waiting to be discovered for wintertime entertainment. Consider planting Dusty Miller, dianthus, ornamental kale, poppies, pansies and snapdragons. You can find them in garden centres in punnets from autumn onwards. They may not bloom much during the shortest days of winter, but will provide great colour again in early spring. When in doubt about the staying power of not-quite-hardy plants, such as snapdragons, plant them in a sheltered place. A wall or building can absorb heat during the day and radiate warmth to nearby plants at night. Such a sheltered spot also helps to protect plants from being damaged by harsh winter winds or frosts.

In mild-winter climates, planning and preparation for the spring and summer garden continues through the colder months. In frost-free climates, make the most of the cool conditions to prepare new garden beds, or rework and replant existing ones. In subtropical areas, spring comes early in the garden as petunias and annual phlox burst into bloom. These annuals can be started in winter as seeds or seedlings.

In all areas, you can keep winter and spring annuals such as pansies and sweet peas blooming for many months by regularly picking or deadheading spent flowers. The application of a fortnightly dose of liquid fertiliser will also help to keep your annuals growing and blooming well.

But don’t wait until summer to enjoy your garden. There’s entertainment out there even when it’s sparkling with frost and whipped by cold winds. Trees and shrubs offer dramatic silhouettes through every season, but the shapes of their limbs and the texture of their bark are most pronounced after leaves dropin autumn. Evergreens become even more endearing when they’re the only greenery in sight. Combined with plants that hold their form through winter, weatherproof garden features such as fences, walls, statuary and pillars offer reassuring evidence that both you and your garden are waiting patiently for spring. Meanwhile, stock a bird feeder with bird seed, chopped fruit and a clean bowl of water, provide a range of shrubs with berries, include some seed-laden ornamental grasses, and your garden will be assured of many appreciative winged visitors.

Stretching the season

For any gardener frustrated by a short season, one of the simplest coping strategies is to stretch the season as far as possible. In autumn, cover late-season performers with boxes, blankets, protective fleeces or floating row covers to help them survive the first few frosts. Lobelia, pansies and other diehard annuals will continue to bloom, but frost will cause impatiens and petunias to shrivel. Add bright colour to faded areas by using containers potted up with primulas or pansies.

Outside, stock your landscape with ornamental grasses that form buff-coloured silhouettes which remain attractive well into winter. To ensure that spring comes as early as possible, make liberal use of the early-flowering bulbs that bloom in winter, such as yellow jonquils and paperwhite narcissus. When you venture outdoors in late winter to admire the buds forming on spring-flowering trees and shrubs, it will double your excitement to find flowering bulbs, such as bluebells and daffodils, pushing up around your feet.

In most cool areas, japonica camellias can be relied on to transform winter gardens from drab to delightful. Camellias are true care-free plants that need little attention other than an occasional water and a good layer of mulch and well-rotted manure to keep them in bloom for months. To extend the flowering of camellias, look for varieties that flower in succession so there’ll be at least one variety in flower from late autumn to early spring. To make your selection, visit other gardens or specialist camellia nurseries which hold flower displays all winter long. If you live in an area with alkaline soils, grow camellias in large tubs filled with a potting mix for acid-loving plants to enjoy their winter color.

In woodland areas, try growing cyclamen around the base of the trees for the off-season charm of their little winged flowers, and let spring come early with the blooming of evergreen hellebores. Another care-free plant that provides colour in cold winter gardens is mahonia. Evergreen leatherleaf mahonia is a mainstay in many gardens with mild winters, both because it holds its foliage year-round and because its yellow flowers appear before winter has come to an end.

Snowy scenes

In the coldest areas, to keep dormant plants safe from winter frosts (if snow doesn’t come, or to increase its insulating effects if it does), cover dormant plants with loose evergreen branches after cleaning up the garden in late autumn. When you remove the branches in spring, don’t be surprised to see tender green shoots breaking through the soil slightly ahead of schedule. Stone walls, thickets of shrubs and other short barriers will provide the garden with extra protection from wind, while also breaking up the monochrome blanket and providing visual interest when the rest of the landscape is buried in snow.

Colourful containers

Although it’s winter on the calendar, it can be spring indoors, in sunrooms or on sheltered verandahs and balconies, thanks to the amazing number of winter-flowering indoor plants. One popular choice is florist’s cyclamen, which will flower for 6-8 weeks in a well-lit spot. Other plants to be enjoyed in winter include succulents in bloom, such as many of the kalanchoes, as well as poinsettias. The latter bloom naturally as the days start to shorten and are a great choice for long-flowering indoor colour during winter. As well as traditional red poinsettias, look for some of the small- and double-flowered forms, along with pink and white types, which are now available.

Pots of primulas will also brighten winter. They can be kept indoors on a well-lit windowsill, or planted outdoors in pots, or straight into the garden for a splash of winter colour.

Many nurseries specialise in selling pots of forced bulbs of spring favourites such as tulips, daffodils and hyacinths.You can buy these or create your own. However, it is possible to coax hyacinths into bloom by planting them in shallow dishes with a mixture of soil and pebbles tucked up to the necks of the bulbs, taking care not to cover the growing points of the bulbs.

These bulbs are so forgiving that many gardeners use any containers they have on hand for forcing bulbs. Later on, when the plants in bloom are ready to be displayed in high-visibility spots indoors, the less attractive pots can be temporarily slipped into more decorative brass or ceramic containers.

For the first 6 weeks after planting hyacinth bulbs in pots, keep the soil barely moist, and store the planted containers in a cool place, such as in a cupboard, garage or unheated verandah or stoep. Although there may be no visible signs of life from the bulbs, the roots are actively growing under the surface of the soil. After about 6 weeks, when shoots of green appear, move the pots to a bright location, but keep them cool. Continue to water the soil regularly, and enjoy the show as the leaves give way to dramatic flower spikes. After the flowers fade, discard the bulbs, because they will not bloom perfectly again. Bulbs forced to growin containers simply do not get the strong sunlight they need to store enough food to produce flowers the following growing season.

• Wooden poles (3 or 4) Hay
• Grass clippings
• Leaves
• Weeds
• Sawdust
• Kitchen garbage
• Manure (horse, cow, chicken, rabbit, dog)
• Wood ash or limestone Rich topsoil
• Water

  

Getting It All Together

1. Loosen the soil which will be underneath the compost heap. An area at least 3 feet square is a good size to begin with. Add some manure to supply additional bacteria if the soil does not seem fertile.
2. Push 3 or 4 wooden poles into the loosened soil until they stand up easily. Space the poles evenly in the area the compost heap will cover. These will make vertical aeration holes in the compost heap. Other materials which can be used are perforated drainage pipes or cylinders made of chicken wire.
3. Lay down a latticework of branches over the soil. This provides some air circulation underneath the compost heap.
4. Spread a 5- to 6-inch layer of hay, leaves, or other plant materials over the layer of branches. Combine different materials in each layer. Alternate wet and dry materials, such as green grass clippings and hay. If you use many different materials, your compost will contain a wide variety of nutrients.
5. Spread a 2-inch layer of manure over the layer of plant materials to provide an adequate supply of nitrogen. The bacteria will use the nitrogen to decompose the plant materials. Cottonseed meal or other materials which
   contain nitrogen can be used instead of manure. Do not use commercial fertilizer.
6. Spread a thin layer (about 1/8 inch) of rich topsoil mixed with a light sprinkling of wood ash or limestone. Too much soil will hinder air circulation. Rich soil contributes bacteria and other organisms to the compost heap. Wood ash or limestone helps neutralize acidity and provides additional nutrients. (If you are using phosphate rock or bone meal in the compost heap, mix it in this layer.)
7. Moisten the layers thoroughly, if needed, until the materials feel as moist as a damp sponge or towel which has been wrung out. It is best to moisten the compost heap as you build it, so that the moisture throughout the heap is fairly consistent. Be careful not to saturate the heap.
8. Begin a series of layers again. Spread a thick layer of dry weeds and sawdust or a mixture of other plant materials.
9. Spread a layer of kitchen waste which has been accumulated in a tight-lidded container. Sawdust in the bottom of the kitchen waste container helps to absorb juices. As youaccumulate kitchen scraps, sprinkle limestone or wood ashoccasionally, and empty the container often to help prevent odor and discourage flies from laying their eggs.
10. Add a layer of manure.
11. Cover the manure with a thin layer of soil.
12. Moisten the new layers of the compost heap.
13. Continue layering the compost materials until the heap is 3 to 5 feet high. Combine different textures and alternate wet and dry materials. You can use any combination of materials you choose as long as your compost heap is made of approximately 2/3 plant material and 1/3 manure. The heap needs to be at least 3 feet high for it to be large enough to retain heat. A heap which is higher than 5 feet tends to compress and prevent air circulation in the lower portion of the heap.
14. Cover the finished compost heap with a layer of soil and a thick layer of hay for insulation.
15. Lightly press the top of the compost heap to form a shallow basin to catch rainfall. In an area with heavy rainfall, leave the heap rounded on top. If your compost heap is contained in a wooden bin, you can remove and replace the roof to regulate watering, catching rainfall as needed. Rain is a saturated solution of oxygen and contains microorganisms and many minerals, especially near the sea. Water the compost heap with a hose when there is not enough rainfall.

A foundation of concrete or a similar material can be used to provide a means of salvaging any liquid run-off from the compost heap. This liquid can then be used to maintain moisture in the pile, preserving some nutrients possibly lost through leaching. Soil must be used in the building of the compost heap to provide bacteria, since the bacteria cannot migrate up into the heap. The heap needs to be turned often to prevent anaerobic conditions from occurring, because the concrete prevents aeration. Overall, it is best to allow free contact of the compost and the soil and to be careful not to overwater the heap.

The composting site needs to be well drained. The ground underneath should be loosened to 1 or 2 feet. I work with a garden spade first, loosening the entire area the compost will rest on. A spading fork can then be used to loosen the soil even more deeply. The dimensions of the composting space depend on how large you choose to make the heap. The area should be at least 3 feet square. A slight slope of the area will help to prevent standing water, which hinders decomposition. When you have finished loosening and raking the area, be careful not to step on and compress the soil you worked so hard to cultivate.

If your soil is sandy, a layer of clay and straw will help provide a foundation for retaining moisture and nutrients in the heap. If you have clay soil, the addition of sand or gravel will improve drainage.

Rich soil, which contains an abundance of organic matter, has a loose and crumbly texture. Many bacteria are naturally found in fertile soil. If your soil does not seem very rich, it would be a good idea to introduce additional bacteria by mixing some manure into the soil before building the compost heap.

SOIL

Soil is generally used in compost heaps. Fertile soil contributes a large population of organisms which help decompose the compost materials, as well as minerals which the organisms need to live. Soil also helps prevent the loss of nitrogen to the air in the form of ammonia gas. Use very thin layers of soil—perhaps 1/8 inch—in the compost heap. It is important not to use too much soil, because it may add too much weight to the heap and compress the materials underneath. Soil is used as an insulating layer after the compost heap is completed. A 2-inch cover layer is sufficient to conserve moisture and heat.

Previously made compost is an alternative to soil, contributing both organisms and minerals. Using compost as an ingredient in a new compost heap is similar in effect to using yogurt as a starter when making a new batch of yogurt. The compost starter contributes the necessary organisms for decomposing the new compost materials.

MANURE

Manure can be used generously in the compost heap. Manure supplies nitrogen and a large population of bacteria. If some kind of straw or sawdust litter is used as bedding for the animals, urine is absorbed and nearly all the nutrients voided by the animals are preserved. Manure which is stored in piles without being mixed with straw or sawdust litter generally loses a large proportion of its nitrogen, either to the air in the form of ammonia gas or through leaching by rainfall. Composted manure is a much better source of nitrogen, since the nitrogen is held by the active micro-organisms. It is good to use manure from different animals, including that of dogs, cats, rabbits, and birds. The different manures contribute a variety of nutrients and organisms to the compost heap. Manure can be gathered from riding stables and beef or poultry farms. Generally, the manure is free and its removal is appreciated by the stable keeper or farmer.

STRAW

Straw and hay supply much carbon material (energy food for the bacteria) and bulk to the compost heap, as well as various nutrients. If straw is used in large quantities, it is good to chop it up and mix it with other materials which hold water and contain a rich source of nitrogen. Manure helps to hold moisture on the smooth, hard surfaces of strawy materials. Generally, straw and hay are not thought to contain nitrogen, but alfalfa hay is known as a fairly rich source of it. Straw or hay‘ can be found at riding stables or farms. Hay which has been exposed to rain is considered “spoiled,” since it then cannot be fed to the animals. Often you can gather “spoiled” hay for free, simply by making the effort to cart it away.

SAWDUST

Sawdust and wood shavings are helpful in absorbing excess moisture in the compost heap. Woody materials contain lignin, or wood fiber, which gives strength and hardness to the cells of wood. These materials decompose slowly and need to be combined with manure or another nitrogen source. Sawdust and wood shavings contribute much organic matter. When added in thin layers or mixed with other materials, sawdust and wood shavings help give the compost heap structural strength. It is easy to find free sawdust and wood shavings at lumberyards, cabinet shops, or sawmills.

WOOD ASH

Wood ash is a valuable source of potassium. Save the wood ash from your fireplace or wood stove and store it carefully. It should not be exposed to rainfall, as the potassium is rather easily leached out. Wood ash may replace limestone as an acid neutralizer in the compost heap. Do not use coal ash in the compost heap. Coal ash can add toxic quantities of sulfur and iron.

LIMESTONE

Limestone has a neutralizing effect on the materials used in a compost heap and provides a source of calcium and small amounts of minerals. Ground limestone breaks down gradually, releasing available nutrients over a long period of time. Dolomite, a rock similar to limestone, is interchangeable with

It. It is possible to add too much limestone to a compost heap. The result can be an increased loss of nitrogen to the air in the form of ammonia gas. I have not experienced this in the compost heaps I have built, so I continue to sprinkle a light layer of limestone over each layer of kitchen garbage or mix it with each soil layer.

Do not substitute quicklime for ground limestone. When sufficient water is not available, the quicklime wrenches water from bacteria, fungi, and plant roots, usually causing their death.’ Quicklime also increases nitrogen loss by causing the formation of ammonia. Slaked lime (hydrate of lime) is not a good substitute either. Unlike ground limestone, which is gradually available, slaked lime is in a readily available form. Slaked lime dissolves easily in water and leaches down to soil levels where it cannot be reached by plant roots.’ Wood ash and bone meal can be used instead of limestone.

Materials

Wood

Frame:

2 pieces, 2 by 2 by 36 inches

2 pieces, 2 by 2 by 38 inches

Sides:

32 pieces, 1 by 4 by 36 inches

Furring strips:

2 pieces, 1 by 3 by 36 inches

Roof:

1 piece, 40-inch square (or half an old door)(or corrugated tin)

Caution:

Actual wood sizes are smaller than the dimensions given. When you ask for a 1- by 4-inch piece of wood, the actual size is 3/4 by 3 1/2 inches.

Hardware

# 3 galvanized nails (1 1/4-inch)

# 6 galvanized nails (2-inch)

4 medium-sized hasps (2 1/2-inch)

Instructions

1. Place the 38-inch frame posts toward the front side of the bin, and the 36-inch frame posts toward the rear.
2. Nail the side slats to the frame posts, leaving 1-inch spaces between slats. (The front frame posts must be 3/4 inch from the end of the slats to allow sufficient space for the furring strips which hold the front gate together. The front gate must lie flat against the rest of the frame.)
3. Nail the rear slats to the 36-inch frame posts to complete 3 sides of the bin.
4. Nail the front slats to the furring strips and attach the 4 hasps to hold the front gate to the frame.
5. Set the roof over the bin frame. The roof slants toward the rear of the bin to direct heavy rain run-off. The roof can be removed and replaced to regulate watering, catching rainfall as needed.
6. Note: If you want to treat the wood of your bin to preserve it longer, use linseed oil. Creosote should not be used on compost bins, because it is a toxic substance which can hinder the growth of microorganisms and plants.